Ocean surface target detection for search and rescue using freely available satellite data: Malaysian Airline MH370 tragedy, a case study

Jude Emeka and Idrees Mohammed Oludare

This paper presents a simplified approach to detect objects on the ocean surface to aid search and rescue operation using free remote sensing data. In this study, we employed the compressed multi-spectral worldview-2 image to RGB JPEG 2000 file format. The objective is to find a simple method that can be used during search and rescue operation to detect objects on Ocean surface while onboard search vessels without the need for complex image processing tasks. We experimented with six different adaptive filters: Lee, Enhanced Lee, Frost, Enhanced Frost, Gamma and Kuan filters. For each of the filters, three different kernel sizes, 3x3, 5x5 and 7x7 were tested. The result shows that Enhanced Frost with 7x7 kernels provides better indication of the presence of object on ocean surface. This indicates that without complex image processing and analysis, foreign objects on Ocean surface can be detected.

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A proper land-use planning through the use of historical research

Luino Fabio, Nigrelli Guido, Turconi Laura, Faccini Francesco, Agnese Claudio and Casillo Filippo

Natural instability processes like landslides, mud-debris flows and floods are the most frequent geo-hydrological phenomena in Piedmont (north-western Italy). They can involve urbanized areas and consequently can generate risk-prone areas according to the geomorphological features of the territory. Piedmont has been hit by five relevant events in the last 20 years (September 1993, November 1994, October 1996, October 2000 and May 2008): geo-hydrological processes have caused fatalities and damage for several hundred million Euros. The aim of this study is to evaluate the spatial-temporal distribution of the natural instability processes over the past two centuries and to relate it to the current land planning: that can permit to identify the hazard-prone areas that can become risk-prone areas when urbanized areas are involved. The study area (1,200 km2) is located in the north-western Italy (Piedmont). The methodology has been carried out by the following steps: a) analysis and interpretation of historical documents gathered in the Archive of the Research Institute for Geo-Hydrological Protection of the National Research Council (CNR-IRPI). In the IRPI of Turin, in fact, there is the richest Italian archive of information about natural instability processes occurred in the north of Italy; b) drafting of descriptive records into a geodatabase; c) localization of the natural instability processes using GIS; d) synthesis and data processing and e) case studies: comparison between geomorphological effects and the current land planning. The gathered documents of 24 municipalities were deeply analyzed and about 900 records were filled and georeferenced. They have permitted to have a more detailed picture of the main natural instability processes which affected the examined area and the relative damage. This study has highlighted that a correct territorial planning for the prevention and mitigation of geo-hydrological risk cannot ignore the wealth of information that can be obtained from historical research.

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Urban disaster prevention and mitigation planning optimization based on disaster prevention system construction

Zheng Wang and Qi Fan Wang

In recent years, the various disasters of flood, earthquake and landslide brought a large number of casualties and property loss to the urban. It also revealed that the security and recovery ability of city lifeline system is insufficient. According to the problem of disaster prevention and mitigation planning in Chinese cities, the content system of disaster prevention and mitigation planning should be further optimized and make full use of planning in disaster prevention and mitigation.

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